Bizarro Evolution
by Amelia Peace
Summary: Given a second chance by a league of travelers, Bizarro is recruited but must change his heartless ways to truly have freedom. Can the X-Men help this unfortunate soul get a conscience? Or will it be too late? Rogue/Bizarro, rated T for action & romance.
1. Prologue: Goodbye is a Second Chance

Prologue: Sometimes Goodbye is a Second Chance

The Phantom arrived at Queen's apartment as Lana ended whatever call she had made. "Hey, I tried to call you. Does Lionel know anything?" she asked.

The Phantom knew he had the act fast. "We have a problem. The Phantom found Brainiac and now they're working together." He lied. "I can't take them both down on my own."

"It's all my fault; I led them right to it." Lana stepped toward him.

"None of this is your fault Lana." The Phantom said as he embraced her. _Ugh, that damn sun. _Phantom winced in pain as the UV rays pierced his skin, peeling away the unstable flesh structure. He let go of Lana and stepped back into the shadows.

"We should get you out of here as soon as possible, they could be anywhere." He added to make her hurry. Clark would be there anytime soon and he did not want to lose her.

"Um, just let me go get my bag." She smiled slightly and walked toward the counter.

The Phantom walked over to the lift gate and slid it open as he wait for Lana. "Come on, Lana! We've got to go now!" he called.

"I'll be right there." She called back.

Something was wrong; he could hear the beeping sound coming from her phone. He sped to her and saw her texting frantically, most likely to Clark. "I guess my secret's out." He could only look hopelessly at her as she gasped. There was no way she would willingly go with him now, and he did _not_ want to be alone again. He wouldn't be.

He watched her attempt to run but sped in front of her cutting off her path. "Lana please." he pleaded, gently grasping her arm. He didn't want it to be like this. Losing her would kill him.

Lana easily jerked away his grip. "Stay away from me!" She hissed.

Her expression, her tone, her posture, all indicated that she was in the presence of a demon. A stab of pain pierced Phantom's chest. The pain was worse than sunlight.

"I would never hurt you." He couldn't even believe that she would even think that. After all they've done together. "Lana, I'm the same person you've been with all this time."

"You're a monster!" She spat.

"You told me that you are happier than you've ever been. _I _made you feel that way, not Clark."

"You pretend to be him just so you could-"

"No!" He cut her off. "Listen when I first came to Smallville the only thing that mattered was my own survival. But that all changed when I met you." It was all true, every word. If only she would believe him.

Suddenly he heard Clark approaching him from behind. Lana's gaze moving over his left was all that he needed to send Clark flying into a wall light.

The Phantom watched Clark fall to the ground as Lana ran and picked up a blue rock that looked strangely familiar. "Lana, what are you doing?" he asked.

She didn't answer but looked at Clark. "Will this destroy him?" she asked.

The pain in his heart grew. He wasn't _losing_ her, he already had.

"Yes. But take it and go! Around blue kryptonite I lose my powers, I won't be able to protect you!" Clark said.

_Blue kryptonite? __P_hantom thought for a moment.

"I'll do it myself." he could hear the hatred in Lana's voice.

"Lana, No!"

"Clark, stay back." She ordered as she approached the Phantom.

The Phantom was desperate. "You spent the last month telling me that you finally felt like we were meant to be together." he tried.

"Don't listen to him, Lana." Clark told her.

Phantom gritted his teeth. "I know what's in his mind, Lana. He doesn't love you like I do."

"That's a lie!" Clark shouted.

"You're lying, Clark, to yourself!" He shot back. "You are so worried about doing the right thing you don't even see it!" He looked back at Lana, she was hesitating.

He took a deep breath and looked at the rock in her hand. Clark said it would kill him. _Get out! Get out! Leave her for El's sake! _ He ignored the voice of survival and looked in Lana's eyes.

"You know he won't commit his life to you like I will." She looked at him and his eyes softened. "You know that."

Lana's features softened as well. Her eyes were said as she realized the truth. "He's right, Clark."

Phantom felt his heart soar at those words. He wasn't going to be alone anymore. He could barely hear Clark's shocked voice over his own heartbeat.

"What?"

Lana looked at Clark. "I have never been more in love than I have the past month. Only it wasn't with you." She turned her gaze to the phantom. "It was with him."

If he could, Phantom would have done any version of the happy dance, jumping, no, _flying_ for joying and shouting to the heavens. However, he had to settle for sending Clark the smuggest look he could make. He had won. He may not have been able to take Clark's life but he did take a valuable unused part of it. And the best part was it was no longer about Clark, or Clark and Lana. It was about him; _Him_ and Lana.

He turned back to the love of his life, looked her dead in the eye and said. "Nothing will ever come between us again." He held out his hand for hers. Slowly she took it. She looked up at him. Phantom could see the mixed emotions and could understand them; shock, confusion, sadness, hurt, fear. He could read them all.

_'How could I have been so blind? __Her Shock._

_Could Clark really not be the one?'_ Her Confusion.

_'How could I do this to Clark and everyone I love? _ Her Sadness.

_'Clark never did love me like he did.'_ Her Hurt.

_'Will I ever see them again? What will this thing do to me?'_ Her Fear.

But it would be alright after all, after everything that happened between them, there was... wait.

Where was her love?

Before he could realize what was happening, Lana slapped the blue kryptonite into his palm. It began to glow brightly.

Phantom felt his body automatically absorbing its energy, his body being filled with so much power, too much power. _I can't contain all of this! Too much! Stop!_

A scream ripped out of him as his skin cracked and broke off in pieces. The pain was unbearable. He felt like he was going to explode. He was going to explode! _NO! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!_

He looked at Lana. _How could she have done this to me? Why? Why? Don't understand. Can't..._ He wanted to plead for help, but the first words he thought of that he managed to gasp out were. "I loved you."

Light then darkness consumed him as he felt death taking him away from what he had loved.


	2. Chapter 1: The Offer He Couldn't Refuse

Chapter 1: The Offer He Couldn't Refuse

Somehow, death didn't feel like he'd thought it would. It almost felt like... he was asleep? So, if he just opened his eyes, would he live?

Slowly Phantom opened his eyes and all he saw was _White_. Everything was white. Was this the afterlife? He sat up. From his position he could tell he was in some kind of infirmary. The walls, ceiling, floor, incredibly soft beds, lights, all were pure white.

With a groan he got to his feet and looked at his chest beneath the white cotton fabric. He was normal again; no longer gray and broken. He tested every limb, muscle, joint of is body to make sure it still worked. Yes, everything was functioning properly. Now, what about his powers?

Suddenly there was a low hum and a blue light outlined by a white metal archway appeared on the wall revealing a tall man coming out of the new doorway.

His features were young but his eyes spoke of the beginnings of time and beyond. His black hair was styled so that it fell over his right eye. He was wearing a suit that was all black apart from the shirt, tie, and handkerchief which was red. He smiled at Phantom. "Ah, good; you're awake. You gave us all quite a scare when you were brought in."

_Brought in?_ Phantom opened his mouth to speak but the stranger cut him off. "As you already know, you're body has been repaired and much more stable now. How do you feel?"

Phantom stared but slowly spoke up. "Who are you? Where am I? Am I dead?"

The man raised his hand to stop the flow of questions. "My name is Derick. You are in the healing center. And no, you are not dead. All will be explain momentarily. Now if you will follow me." He said motioning for him to follow.

"Where?" He was so confused.

The man said nothing as he guided him through the blue portal, light blinded him for a moment but when it dimmed he saw that he was in a place he'd never seen before. It was a place that was made out of cyan crystal islands that dropped off into what looked like a great black sea.

"What is this place?" Phantom asked Derick.

Derick looked at him for a moment, as if wandering if the phantom was worthy of that information. "This is the Nexus Sanctum." He began, "The doorways of light you see are called Gates, and they give access to the most important chambers of existence." He pointed to a gate on another platform, unlike the gate for infirmary it was colored red and the archway was design in a more rugged warlike style.

"That is the training ground. It is designed to withstand amounts of raw energy and won't be destroyed so easily due to all the training that went on in there." he pointed to the gate on the opposite side of the training gate, this one outlined with gold like a garden entree, the light was green and vines and other plants rapped around the golden arch.

"That is Nexium. A world in limbo. It's where most of the people here who have no worlds to return to, live."

Phantom nodded in understanding and pointed to a large gate in the distance, swirling white light as a doorway accessed by a rainbow crystal bridge. "What's that one?"

Derick looked. "Reality: Most who come here think their world is reality but they are sadly mistaken. Only few are allowed to enter in there."

"Then where am I from?"

"There." he pointed to the opposite detection of the reality gate. Its stairway, columns and archway was made out of a dark blue marble with stone vines and flowers carved into the pillars a mask rested at the corner stone at the top. The portal itself was colored deep violet. "Fantasy also known as the Nexus Hall. Any story that once takes form from reality, go, as you can see." He pointed up.

Phantom looked up, a his eyes widened to see what looked like shooting stars of different colors coming from the white portal and entering the violet one.

"I came from Fantasy? As in I don't exist?" _What the hell did that mean?_

"No, you exist, just on a different plain of existence than reality."

Phantom shook his head. This information was a bit hard to wrap his mind around. "Where are you taking me?"

"To the throne room, Phantom; I was sent to bring you there once you awakened." Phantom jumped back when white angelic wings shot out from the man's back. He stretched them a bit before folding them. "Ahh. That feels much better. I'm an angel in case you were wandering."

Phantom remembered from Clark's memories of the Bible, the word angel was mentioned many times, he remembered the different classes of those beings. "Messenger or Warrior?"

The angel smiled as they walked up a flight of stairs. "Guardian."

Phantom paused at the top, studying the regal looking gate and the golden light that swirled in front. "Guardian for whom?"

They passed through the gate at the top. A golden light blinded the phantom for a moment before it dimmed.

"Her." Phantom looked to see Derick looking straight ahead at a young woman standing in front of an elevated throne. The angel bowed slightly to her and walked up and stood at her right side while another angel with black wings wearing the same attire as Derick stood at her left. Behind her a brilliant white cross shown behind her, providing light for the entire area.

She had long inhuman ears and long golden hair that fell to her shoulders. Her eyes were a warm crimson scarlet and her attire consisted of black clothing and a long sword was strapped to her belt. The hilt was also black with a violet jewel encrusted in the handle.

The woman smiled at her right-hand angel. "You have done, Derick." she smiled at the alien. "Welcome Phantom, to the Sanctum. I apologize for the tardiness of our arrival, I'm just glad we got to you in time. My name is Rouge "

"You're the one who brought me here?"

"Yes, of course. As for why: We are a part of an elite unit known as the Zone League. And we have a proposition for you. This is my partner Dren Pendragon." The man standing beside Derick nodded a greeting.

"Our mission is to discover new zones or worlds as you would call them and to assist the characters of that world." Dren said.

Rouge added. "We try to maintain a low profile and do not seek fame. We do not reveal ourselves to the characters their world focuses on, only to those we wish recruit." Then she smiled. "We want you to become a member of our league.

Phantom scowled. "And If I refuse?"

Rouge shrugged, sitting in her chair. "We will not force you to join us. However this offer expires with whatever your answer may be. If you accept our offer, yet do not uphold our constitution, then you shall be disbanded, the powers I give you will be taken and you will be sent back to your world. To the time you left.

"Or," she added. "If you do not wish to join us then I will send you back to your world and it will be as if you and your world never met us. Either way you look at it, you'll die if you refuse us and our ways."

Dren sighed. "We know that you have never been shown compassion or a second chance. We wish to give you the things you've desired all your life."

Phantom nodded, thinking it all through. Join this... these people, or die. Take the second chance that promises changes and good things, or refuse and die. Have the chance to learn to love again and be loved in return, or refuse and be killed by your first love. Really it's a no brainier.

"Alright, I accept."


	3. Chapter 2: A Favor

Chapter 2: A Favor

Phantom stood at the entrance to the farm, leaning against the post, and scowling at the farm house. He had been allowed to return to his world by the Zone League to "Rehabilitate and discover yourself." however, it was a different time from the one he'd left. Here, he was either still in the Phantom Zone or didn't exist at all.

A lot of things hadn't happened yet, but he didn't want to face Clark or Lana again, as strong as his feelings were for the female human, his instinct of survival was stronger.

But he'd have to admit, he'd was better off with the Zone League than without.

The sunlight was still his weakness but his skin didn't change, well, it really depended on how strong the rays were. However, his body had been reset. Only his memories remained.

According to Rouge, they had to get the DNA from this Clark, the sixteen year old Clark, which meant that his powers were limited. He had to learn them all over again. Apart from his flight and cold breath, he still had his Kryptonian strength, speed, heat vision, x-ray vision, hearing, and sight, plus a new ability.

He was able to absorb Kryptonite radiation from anything and anyone. This also implied the meteor infected, if he removed the radiation their powers would be removed as well, in theory that is.

Phantom let out a sigh, as he turned his back to the farm and sped off to his 'home'. It wasn't really a home or was really his, but he figured the small house with the greenhouse full of meteor rocks would do until the original owners came back.

Arriving to his destination, he opened the unlocked door and went inside. Falling onto the couch, he closed his eyes to allow the sleep to take him. His mind drifted to Lana and her betrayal. It had hurt. Not the rock... well, okay yeah that hurt like hell, but he'd long healed from that wound. It was the emotional one that was taking so damn long to recover from.

Rejection was, and always will be, a bitch. It was going to be hard to get into any relationship. Most of the people he'd set his eyes on only knew him as 'Clark' and weren't even in the same time as he was. He hated being alone, he hated the loneliness. The league offered some companionship but the relationship with any of them was either a 'do or die' or a 'you have a dark past, and you scare me; I don't think I want to be with you' kind of thing.

His thoughts are interrupted by the sound of a car engine approaching the drive way. Phantom sat up to see a black van approaching the house. He raised an eyebrow as the black van slowed to a stop and parked in the front yard. At first he thought it was the residence of the house, but seeing their faces, none of them matched the framed pictures lying around or the photo albums he looked through out of boredom.

Getting out of the driver's side was a rather short, scary looking man with wild black hair and blue eyes and has an almost feral stance. Next out was a boy who looked about Phantom's assumed age and height as well, maybe a little shorter, with brown hair and wearing these dark red sunglasses. Following him out of the van was a girl with vibrant red hair and green eyes. _Mmmm nice curves. Easy on the eyes. Pretty in the face too. _He shook his head to clear it. Meanwhile the feral looking man has slid the side door of the van opened and was helping a bald man in a wheelchair out.

Once the wheelchair has been lowered to the ground the man pushed the control stick forward and moved towards Phantom, who had walked outside to greet the visitors.

"Phantom, I presume?" the bald man inquired.

Phantom froze, not only did this man knew who he was; he probably knew what he was. "Depends on who is asking." He crossed his arms.

The bald man smiled reassuring and warmly. "My name is Charles Xavier and I have a proposition for you."

_Another one?_

***three days ago***

"So this is the new Cerebro huh?" Logan asked as he took in the new large spherical room under the mansion which has been designed to amplify Charles' telepathy allowing him, in theory, to be able to find mutants anywhere in the world. The kids had made varying comments in regards to it along the lines of hamster ball or disco ball or stuff like that.

"Indeed," Professor Charles Xavier replied as he inputs new lines of code into the control program as part of correcting the final few glitches they had discovered when testing Cerebro. "With the increasing prevalence of the x-gene in the general population a more powerful version was required Logan as you know."

"Yeah, I know. Let's just hope Juggernaut doesn't trash this one like he did the last," Logan comments in regards to the Professor's near invulnerable and unstoppable half-brother.

"That is a hope I share too," Charles comments wryly. He turned his attention to the young man under the console. "How is it going Forge?"

The native-American mutant's head popped up. "Nearly there Professor; just a little fine tuning and the new Cerebro will be good to go." Forge concentrates a little, alters his multi-tooled techno-organic hand to what he wants and disappears back under the console.

"Thank you Forge," the Professor said.

Logan made a grunt. "So any chance this new Cerebro will help you be able to detect Magneto?" he inquired.

Charles thought on it for a few moments. "I have some hope," he said with little belief that it actually will. His old friend had become very adept at shielding himself from every kind of detection method Charles could think of.

"But don't hold my breath, right?"

"You know Magneto, Logan."

Unfortunately he did. Too well considering how many times they had clashed lately. Of course Magneto hadn't been seen since the destruction of Asteroid M but Logan had no doubt that the self-proclaimed 'Master of Magnetism' had survived. "I wonder what he's up to," Logan comments idly.

"Probably the same thing we plan to do with Cerebro," Charles answered.

"You mean find new mutants to join 'the cause'," Logan said with no attempt to hide the contempt with which he thought of that. Magneto's cause was being the mutant domination of the human race. Now there were humans Logan had no love for. Specifically the ones who destroyed his memory and grafted adamantium to his bones in an attempt to turn him into a living weapon but he just couldn't find himself ever likely to agree with Magneto's point of view that the only choice they had was a war. He would not be the weapon those people tried to turn him into. Every day he lived where he wasn't that was a small victory. Besides he owed Charles for taking him in and helping him with his rages and at least trying to restore his lost memory, though Logan's memories were so fragmented that even Charles may never be able to restore them.

Charles let out a sad sigh at Logan's words. He knew humans would react with fear and even hostility the day mutants are revealed and that day was inevitable. Mutants were becoming more common. Sooner or later someone would notice but his hope was that when the day comes through what he taught at this school they could show the rest of mankind that they were not a threat but merely another stage in evolution like all the others that had preceded the evolution of Homo-Sapiens. Magneto's, Magnus', belief that the only option was a war was not one he would buy into. Humans and mutants could find a way to live in peace. It was Charles Xavier's guiding belief.

_'Professor!'_ Kitty's voice echoed in his mind by her thinking out loud.

_'Yes Kitty?' _Charles answered back.

_'There's someone here to see you. She said her name is Rouge Underwood, and would like to speak with you.'_

Charles' brow furrowed in confusion. As far as he could remember he'd never met a Ms. Underwood. Still it wouldn't do any harm to hear the woman out. _'I'll be right there Kitty. Please show her to my office.'_

_'Like no problem Professor.'_

Charles has to shake his head. Even in his head Kitty sounds perpetually cheerful. She was one of his favorite students though. Bright, intelligent and had found a joy in embracing her powers when so many other mutants feared to do so.

"What?" Logan asked recognizing when Charles was talking to someone telepathically.

"We have a guest," Charles told him. "Forge," he said addressing the youngster.

Forge's head once more popped up. "Yes?"

"I have a guest to attend to. Will you manage to finish up by yourself?"

"Oh sure. Not a problem Professor." With that Forge was back under the console. Creating, repairing, improving mechanical devices was his passion. Sometimes he builds things without even knowing what they are and he has to take them apart to figure it out and the chance to work on Cerebro was just the chance of a lifetime. Its concept was brilliant but now he understood how it worked also so simple. At least to him.

Minutes later, Logan pushed the door opened to reveal a tall woman in attire that was completely in black apart from the crimson low-neck shirt underneath the black coat. She had long golden hair and brown eyes that were tinted red.

Charles smiled politely. "Good afternoon, Ms. Underwood. My name is Charles Xavier."

"Hello, please call me Rouge."

"If you wish." He gestured her to sit. She did, crossing her long black clad legs.

"I'll get to the point. I know what goes on here at this institute and exactly who is welcomed in these doors."

Xavier frowned slightly, he tried to read her mind but something was blocking his readings. "I see."

The woman shook her head. "I do not seek money and have no intention to bring harm to your work. I respect what you are doing to these children. It means a lot to what my own people stand for. But I do ask a favor."

Charles moved behind his desk. "And what would that favor be?" This was most interesting.

"Well," she began, "There is a very 'gifted' young man who lives in a small town."

Charles becomes very interested at the way this woman said 'gifted'. "Someone I should be aware of?"

Rouge nodded. "And Veritas will be after him."

With that word Rouge has changed everything and revealed the identity of the boy. "This boy is the Traveler," Charles assumed.

The Veritas group he had been part of with Virgil Swann, Lionel Luthor, Edward and Genevieve Teague and Robert and Laura Queen were a group of people waiting for the arrival of the Traveler: Who was to be a visitor from across the stars that would bring hope to all mankind. Thinking back on it Charles only became involved at Virgil's behest in a need to counter the Teagues and Lionel Luthor whose aims were less than noble.

Did Charles believe in alien visitors? It was a good question if someone was to ask him it. Considering everything he has seen it would be foolish not to have an open mind and Virgil could make, and had made a very convincing case and produced the evidence to back it up. However the years passed the rifts between himself, Virgil, the Queens and Lionel and the Teagues grew without any sign of the Traveler. After the Queens died Veritas had been dissolved, the members went their separate ways and Charles dedicated himself to helping the increasing number of mutants that were starting to appear.

"No," Rouge shook her head. "But the DNA he has taken belongs to the Traveler. He's the opposite of the Traveler in almost every aspect. But if he's discovered he could accidentally reveal the identity of the Traveler."

"Why are you telling me this?" Charles asked.

"I know you are the only one who can help him. And who can keep him safe." Rouge tried to explain as to what she believed was the best course of action.

"Safe? You mean from Veritas," Charles presumes. He and Virgil Swann along with the Queens had shared the belief that Lionel and the Teagues would only use the Traveler, assuming he existed at all, for their own selfish goals.

"From himself," the woman confirmed. "Veritas should not be taken lightly, but at this moment, Phantom is his own worst enemy. Lionel Luthor in particular. He spends a great deal of his time in Smallville these days."

That was worrying. Charles knew all about Lionel's greed and lust for power. "Do you think he knows?"

"He suspects that the Traveler is in Smallville but he does not know of the identity."

At once, whatever shield she had around her mind dropped and her knowledge of the young man flowed into his mind. Everything this creature (he now knew this was no human) went through, the betrayal, the dark acts to survive, the near death experience; all came to him.

"He has abilities I assume from what I have seen."

"About 5 separate ones I am aware of and he's still growing."

5 abilities! _'Incredible,'_ Charles thought to himself. Mutants usually only have one ability. Occasionally two though that was rare. "May I ask why are you telling me this?" Charles asked.

"He's in danger. Like yourself, I also guide a league of extraordinary individuals, and I recruited him, but he lacks certain qualities I cannot provide."

Charles frowned after hearing that. "And you wish to send him to me until he's ready to return to you?"

A hint of guilt crossed her face. "In a way, I do care about all my... 'Students' dearly, they are so very precious to me. All the same, they all must follow the declaration that has been passed down from generations. If one disobeys one rule, there will be consequences. And the more serious the rules, the more dire the comeuppance will be." She boiled it down for him. "The point is that if he fails to change and stays the way he is, he will die. Though, I do not think it will be by my hands."

"What name does he go by?"

Rouge shrugged. "So far, he has no name. But with us he went by 'Phantom'. You can help him choose a more complete name once he's settled."

"Phantom?" Charles thought for a moment. "How old is this boy?"

"Now that is an interesting question." She leaned back making herself more comfortable.

Charles frowned. "You don't know?"

Rouge shook her head. "No. But my guess would be around 20 to 25 years old. However he's had the experience of a 19 year old but sadly now has the body of a 16 year-old boy." she waved her hand at the explanation. "The whole thing is one big mess, entirely complicated."

"I see. Then what is your suggestion to the interaction of my students and him?"

"I would suggest that is if he agrees to your proposal, and you want to start him in school, I'm sure he'll love the company. Many of your students are around that age, am I right?"

"Yes, for the most of them."

"Wonderful," Rouge clapped her hands. "Oh, and one more thing: Evil is pursuing him. And it's going to discover him one way or another." Rouge said as a warning of her own to demonstrate that she was not undertaking breaking Phantom's confidence lightly but feels she had no choice but to act.

"What do you mean?" Charles asked with concern.

"Don't ask me how I know, but a known mutant of yours has been spotted hanging around the woods in Smallville. Sabretooth, I believe?"

"Sabretooth," Charles winced at the name, knowing where this was leading.

"You know if he's there who will be following on behind shortly."

"Magneto."

She nodded. "He will seek out Phantom, but he will not join Magneto's cause. He is aware of the consequences if he should betray us and take the side of evil."

"The boy is that powerful to draw Magneto's attention?"

"He's getting there. Picture an ability combination of Juggernaut, Quicksilver, Scott Summers, and Rogue. With the exception of a few more abilities and without the listed weaknesses and always in complete control. At the moment he has all of these abilities to a lesser extent but as I said before he's still growing and his ability to absorb DNA of anyone makes him more powerful that you can ever imagine."

Charles was overwhelmed at the thought of all those abilities into one individual and with none of their faults on Magneto's side would be very, very bad. However, he needed to clarify exactly what he and his X-men were up against. "Please explain the abilities you know he possesses."

Rouge sighed at the list and definitions in her head. "If you want to know what else he can do you'll have to ask the boy yourself. Honestly it's too much to go into detail. But if you are worried about Phantom becoming a danger to your student out of a lack of self-control or from any physical contact, then you don't have to worry, from what I've observed he has remarkable control with his abilities."

Charles sighed as well. "Does he have any parents or guardians I should know about?"

Rouge shook her head. "He was discarded at birth as a poor result from a test-run cloning experiment. He was shown no compassion, no sense of right and wrong. Therefore, he has none. He knows only one thing: Survival. I hope that with your guidance..."

"I could teach him such." he finished for her. He didn't have to read her mind for that conclusion.

Charles took a few moments to absorb this and to gather his thoughts. This was a serious matter indeed. The life of this young man all depended if he would take him under his wing, give him what he needed and then send him on his way. That is if he chose to leave.

"You do make many valid points Rouge," Charles concedes, "but I will not force anyone to come here. Magneto or no Magneto."

"I know Charles. I trust in your skills of persuasion that you can convince him that coming to Bayville will be for the best. You believe that humanity can overcome its fear to what is different as it relates to mutants. Phantom I think is the ultimate test of that belief."

Charles had to say that Rouge had yet another valid point. "Very well I will travel to Smallville and meet the boy."

Rouge beamed a smile at the elder man. "Joy!" She clapped her hands again. "I trust he will be perfect in your capable hands." Rouge said, standing as her signal to leave.

Charles nodded. "I will do my best to help this young man."

"I know. I hope we will meet again. Mr. Xavier. Farewell."

"To you too, Ms. Underwood," Charles replied. He then gives Storm a quick mental message to see Ms. Underwood off. No sooner has he done that then she was there outside his door waiting to assist her.

Logan closes the door once they are out of view. "What was that about Charles?"

"A potential new student for the school," Charles answered. "An extremely special boy and we must get there before Magneto does."

Logan instantly tenses up. "Magneto?"

"The place where this boy lives is apparently being visited by Sabertooth."

Logan growls deeply. "Creed," he said with venom and his fists clench and it was all he could do to keep his claws retracted. "You want to summon the X-Men?"

"No," Charles replied instantly.

Logan looked at him somewhat perplexed and Charles mentally picks it up.

"We are not going to fight Logan. We are going to meet with the boy and persuade that he should come here."

Logan scoffs slightly. "Magneto wouldn't be so magnanimous."

"Indeed but this is a recruitment assignment only Logan. A confrontation is only a last resort. However you are correct about Magneto so we will take Scott and Jean with us and leave Storm here to look after the rest."

Logan shook his head. He pities Storm. Since the new students came the place had been a mad house.

That night after Scott and Jean return from school the Professor fills them in that they are going to try and recruit a new student and that he wants them along for 2 reasons. One was that they are two of his finest students and a perfect example of what he was trying to accomplish at this school although Scott tried too hard sometimes and two if Magneto did show up they are two of his finest students and able to handle themselves. Of course the ideal situation would be that they meet Phantom, persuade them that coming to New York were for the best and do all of this before Magneto shows up.

Although it did leave the question of what Magneto was doing in Smallville anyway. It's possible he has heard about the meteor mutants as Charles calls them in his head and that his old friend had gone to see if any could be recruited to his side. If that was the case Charles will do what he could but these particular mutants don't show up on Cerebro as they don't possess the x-gene making his options limited.

"So when do we leave Professor," Scott asked eagerly. He knew the recruitment of new mutants was important as well as keeping them away from Magneto and the Brotherhood.

"Immediately so if you can pack enough for a couple of days that would be advisable."

"Right Professor," Scott chimes obediently like he was taking an order before he headed back off to his room.

Jean followed him before stopping for a second. "Professor. Where are we going?" she asked realizing that the Professor never mentioned the location of this new mutant

"Kansas Jean. A town called Smallville," he told her.

"Wait that sounds familiar," she mentions.

"It is famous for a meteor shower that hit it over a decade ago," Charles answered filling her in.

Oh right. She knew that sounded familiar not that she was old enough to actually remember it but Jean prides herself on being knowledgeable. Anyway she better go and pack.

Charles watched Jean leave. For the moment he was happy to leave them with the impression they are going to recruit another mutant. The truth of what the Phantom is was not his truth to reveal. It was Phantom's if he so chooses. Well whatever Phantom chooses the first most important issue was to try and persuade him to come here because while Phantom was not a mutant Charles believes he probably faces the same issues and worries as mutants do about prejudice and exploitation and fear of acceptance. It was a hunch of course but Charles feels it was an educated one.

Since this was not a mission per say they don't use the x-jet but travel on the Professor's private jet to Metropolis and then hire a van there to take them to Smallville with Logan driving. Charles spends much of the time re-reading over the file Ms. Underwood gave him on Phantom which included information on the creature and his background. That was reading for the flight. Charles spent much of the drive to Smallville rehearsing what it was he has to say. Most of it was similar to what he normally said to the parents of new mutants but there was the other part of Phantom's origins and of how he knew of it. He must be honest if he was going to persuade him to come to New York. He knew from what Rouge said that Phantom had met Rouge so that was probably the best starting point. After a 3 hour drive Charles' inner monologue was broken by Logan.

"Chuck. We're here."


End file.
